Nicks, Braddy Aim for More in Florida Sire Series

Trainer Ralph Nicks is scheduled to make yet another title defense in the $200,000 FTBOA Florida Sire Stakes Affirmed Division at Gulfstream Park Aug. 28, seeking to continue his domination in the seven-furlong second leg in the series.

The Affirmed co-headlines Gulfstream's 12-race program with the $200,000 FTBOA Florida Sire Stakes Susan's Girl Division, a seven-furlong stakes for 2-year-old fillies. 

Nicks, whose stable is based year-round at Gulfstream Park, is slated to saddle two horses for the 11-horse Affirmed field—Heiligbrodt Racing Stable and Spendthrift Farm's Cattin , an impressive debut winner July 31, and Jacks or Better Farm's Awesome Crusader , a three-race maiden who rallied for second last time out at 74-1.

The 54-year-old trainer, who has saddled a total of nine winners in the Florida Sire Stakes series overall, has visited the Affirmed winner's circle with Breeze On By  (2020), Liam's Lucky Charm  (2019), Garter and Tie  (2018), and Soutache  (2017) the past four years.

"I came to Florida when Gulfstream went to year-round racing. It's a program that you need to be active in," said Nicks. 

Cattin, a son of Neolithic  , overcame early trouble to win at first asking in a 5 1/2-furlong maiden $50,000 claiming race, drawing away by 3 3/4 lengths.

Awesome Crusader (Greenpointcrusader  ) is a maiden but showed vast improvement to finish second at long odds last out. He will seek to give Jacks or Better Farm its record-extending 20th success in the series.

The Nicks trainees will be making their respective FSS debuts Saturday while facing Stonehedge's Cajun's Magic , the 7-5 favorite who won the $100,000 Dr. Fager Division of the series for trainer Michael Yates.

Octane , Lightening Larry , and King Cab  are other contenders in the 11-horse field.

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My Sassenach Seeks to Double Up In $200,000 Susan's Girl

A couple of races earlier on Saturday in the Susan's Girl Division of the series, Champion Equine's My Sassenach  is favored after an 8 1/4-length triumph in the $100,000 Desert Vixen Division last out at Gulfstream for trainer David Braddy.

The daughter of Uncaptured  broke her maiden in the Desert Vixen with the authority that would seem to make the extra furlong of the Susan's Girl well within her range.

"There's always concern. We're hoping she can do it," Braddy said. "This is a nice filly."

Jacks or Better Farm's Rachel's Rock  is scheduled to make her official debut in the Susan's Girl, although she came very close to making her first start in the Desert Vixen, only to run off riderless before the race and be scratched by the stewards.

"She's a halfway first-time starter. She's been saddled; she's been with the pony; and then she decided she didn't want to participate," Nicks said.

Trainer Roger Laurin's Demurely , who finished a distant second behind My Sassenach following a five-wide rally in the Desert Vixen, is set to return in the Susan's Girl. The daughter of Uncaptured entered the first leg of the FSS series off an impressive debut victory May 28.

But the main threat to My Sassenach could be the maiden Outfoxed . The daughter of Valiant Minister   finished third in a July 15 maiden special weight race at Saratoga Race Course in her only start for LNJ Foxwoods and Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott.

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